Wildcard Shaun's in the box seat

Sydney's master boxing trainer Johnny Lewis has a new charge - top young motorcycle racer Shaun Geronomi, current Australian 250cc GP Champion and wildcard entry for the Qantas Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

Wildcard Shaun's in the box seat

21 September 1999Bob Jennings

Sydney's master boxing trainer Johnny Lewis has a new charge - top young motorcycle racer Shaun Geronomi, current Australian 250cc GP Champion and wildcard entry for the Qantas Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

Geronomi, 20 (pictured with Lewis), spent a week recently training under the big name trainer, who has guided Jeff Fenech, Jeff Harding and Kostya Tszyu to world boxing crowns.

And the racer and concreting contractor from South West Rocks near Coffs Harbour, NSW, will spend another week working out under Lewis as he revs up his preparation for the Grand Prix.

The 55-year-old Lewis is quick to point out he is no expert on motorcycle racing but says he has seen in Geronomi many of the traits of his world champion pugilists.

Geronomi clinched the Australian 250cc GP Championship after only five of the six rounds, with the final round coming up this weekend at Sydney's Eastern Creek circuit.

This is his first national road racing title, although he won an Australian 125cc dirt-track title in 1995 as well as various NSW titles.

"Getting to Europe is my aim," Geronomi said. "It's a big step and it takes money, but I'm going after it."

Geronomi is in only his third year of road racing. In 1997 he was third in the Australian 250cc Production Championship, notching wins in the second half of that season. Last year he was runner-up in the 250cc GP Championship and scored his first wildcard for the Qantas Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.

He was the top Australian finisher in 16th place.

There are 11 wildcards for the Grand Prix - one in the 500cc class and five in each of the 250cc and 125cc classes.

Geronomi said the Lewis training regime was "really good for my racing fitness". Although extremely tough, it was "an inspiration" for him to be associated with the master trainer and to have seen Tszyu working out under Lewis before his recent successful WBC junior welterweight title defence.

Lewis said Geronomi's week with him before the Grand Prix would comprise "boxing training, discipline and intensity".

The Qantas Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix will be at Victoria's Phillip Island circuit on October 3.